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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26304766">The Empire Lays Burned And Broken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotalAlienation/pseuds/TotalAlienation'>TotalAlienation</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ancient History RPF, Classical Greece and Rome History &amp; Literature RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Pain, Strangulation, The Fall Of Rome, Violence, Violence against Children, hopefully not to chliched or cheesy, idk what else to tag, since augustulus was like 14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:55:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26304766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotalAlienation/pseuds/TotalAlienation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With Rome in despair and unrest after many barbarian invasions, its time had finally come as Odoacer stormed into the throne room to claim what was rightfully his at last. </p><p>A  reimagined and dramatized version of what happened during the fall of Rome.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Empire Lays Burned And Broken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Some things may not be exactly accurate but don't take it as a fully historic fic, I just found this while I was cleaning  my documents and didn't know where to post it. Comments and reviews greatly appreciated.</p><p>Mostly based on this drawing: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Romulus_Augustulus_and_Odoacer.jpg</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The barbarian let out a loud, guttural laugh.<br/>
" Look at your puny emperor." Odoacer taunted as he looked down at the small boy in front of him. "Barely half my height, and you expect him to keep out our mighty group?" </p><p>A harsh silence fell over the room, robed men and barbarians alike exchanging  glances.</p><p>"Romulus Augustulus, it is." The barbarian lifted his chin. " I have come to claim my crown and my Empire. Rome is now long dead and gone. Here comes a new age." He lifted his right arm in the air, prompting a thunderous cry of triumph  from the  other barbarians in the room.</p><p>"Now that your father has lost his head." Odoacer continued, his lips morphing into a morbid smile. "We'll see about you." he ended on a low note, staring into the boy's eyes as his smile faded away, his eyebrows furrowing. </p><p>Romulus’ heart skipped a beat, the boy becoming unsteady on his feet. The room seemed so silent, the only sound that Romulus could focus on was the loud beating of his heart, ringing loudly in his ears as each second that passed seemed painfully uncertain.</p><p>The  dark-haired boy could hear his father's words, clear as the sky outside, in his head.<br/>
<i>Don't you bow your head down! And never surrender! Fight until your last breath, regardless of the pain and torture, take it like a man! Like I raised you to be!" </i></p><p>The young Emperor closed his eyes tightly, a comforting darkness falling over him before  he slowly opened them again, coming back to reality. Odoacer was still in front of him, tall and imposing, staring down at him with a glare in his eyes that made Romulus deeply regret not visiting the latrines in the last few hours. He swallowed, the barbarian man still glaring at him. </p><p><i>This can't be happening. This isn't real.</i><br/>
The boy repeated over and over again. How could such a mighty Empire be brought to its knees by such an uncivilized man? </p><p>Brute strenght. Armies of men and their power. Strenght beats the mind.</p><p>He clenched his fists as a painful awareness of just how tiny they were compared to Odoacer’s herculean hands made the boy want to take a step back.<br/>
Romulus felt his knees buckle and his eyes widened as he felt them giving out,  the hairs on the back of his neck rising.</p><p>His heartbeat grew erratic, and the boy trembled at the thought of the fate awaiting him. Wondering if he had anything left to lose, he took a step forward, a sudden calmness washing over him,as if he were in a strange dream, like the Gods themselves had given him  a divine bravery.</p><p>The small boy lifted his chin, his gaze meeting the barabrian's and fixing him  straight in the eye. </p><p>“I'm sure we can come to an agreement." He lifted an eyebrow,  forcing his tone to sound calm and stern, the way many of his father's men talked. </p><p>Odoacer's glare  only deepened, sending a shiver down Romulus' spine that almost made his legs give out. Abruptly, the man's  expression softened, giving way to a widening smile. Soon, the whole room was ringing with the barbarian's guttural laughter.</p><p> "Yes. Your crown in my hand. And all your land." He replied,  fixing the boy with a piecing gaze. </p><p>Romulus' face quickly drained all its color, his vision going blurry. THe boy felt a pressing pang of guilt in his chest at the tears welling up in his eyes. How could he even do such an unmaly, cowardish act? </p><p> "I-" He croaked out, his voice dying out. The barbarian leaned closer to him, squinting his eyes.</p><p> "What was that, boy?" Romulus felt his lips tremble. </p><p>With a sudden surge of strengh and fury, the boy leaned his head back, furrowing his eyebrows before spitting in the barbarian's face.  A moment passed before Odoacer's eyebrows went high up his forehead and the boy heard the man's powerful teeth clench.</p><p> "HOW DARE YOU?" his voice boomed, amplified by the marble walls of the palace. The barbarian's jaw clenched and with a swift motion, he took out his dagger from his belt, swinging it into the air. </p><p>Romulus' mouth fell open. He steadied his legs,  turning to dash away from the barbarian.<br/>
As soon as he took his second step, a pair of strong arms seized him by the waist and swung him in the air. The boy felt more tears well up in his eyes as Odoacer pushed him to the ground,  grabbing his collar and pulling him up. His giant hands then gripped the boy by the neck, slowly squeezing it tighter and tighter. </p><p>The boy felt himself getting dizzy, his nails painfully digging into the barbarian's strong arms. Mustering up the strenght to raise his left foot,he kicked back unsuccessfully into the air.</p><p>Odoacer pressed his arm into the boy's neck even tighter.<br/>
Romulus felt a wave of panic wash over him as he grasped for breath. His movements became erratic, his small hands swinging into the air. </p><p>"M..." the boy croaked out, feeling his vocal cords strain. "M..mer" he repeated as Odoacer loosened his grip on the boy's frail neck.<br/>
As soon as Romulus felt the pressure lessen , he gasped for air again, eyes widening." Me.....rcy" he managed to say in between breaths,his words muffled as his eyes welled up entirely with tears. The barbarian leaned closer to his ear. "What was that, boy?" he whispered. </p><p>But suddenly, his recovering brain was reminded of his father and all he believed in.</p><p>"Rome will never be yours!" he said as he tried steadying his breath. "No matter what you do to me!" </p><p>Odoacer grinned widely, his teeth clenched. "Well, if you want it that way." he said and released his tight grip on the boy compltely. </p><p>Romulus tumbled down, groaning as he hit the cold slate floor, before errupting into a fit of rasped coughs.</p><p>"Give me a sword." Odoacer commanded to a barbarian standing next to him. Romulus got up carefully, wiping the tears from his eyes, He turned around to see Odoacer holding two swords in his hands. "If you want to die like a man, then fight me. And who wins gets Rome." Romulus felt his eyes sting wtih tears again. </p><p>"That's enough!" he gasped. "You invade my home, bring terror into the hearts of my people and now you expect me to fight you?" Romulus furrowed his eyebrows slightly, clencing his fists. He wondered if he had said the right thing.  It is what a grown, dignified man would have said, right? </p><p>Odoacer cackled, throwing one of the swords to the ground, the metallic clink  as it hit the floor  him making the boy wince. "So you chose a coward's path." the barbarian grinned. </p><p>"Invading Rome is more cowardly" Romulus spat, hoping that his father would be proud of him for standing up to Rome's invaders. </p><p>Odoacer's expression darkened, the grin on his face slowly dissapearing. He took a step forward, his piercing eyes set on Romulus. The boy clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.</p><p> <i>It's over for me, isn't it</i>, he thought, looking up at the man coming towards him. </p><p>Romulus felt like his heart was beating itself out of his chest as the tall barbarian approached him, towering over him. Romulus' hands slowly began shaking wildly and his breath came in quick and ragged. He pressed his fingers into the cold floor, hoping it would make him come to his senses. Odoacer was standing in front of him, gripping his sword with whitening knucles. THe boy noticed the barbarian's pulsating jaw and opened his mouth but no words came out. Thinking of something to say fast, he forced himself to speak.</p><p>Romulus furrowed his eyebrows. "Yo-"his voice trembled as soon as the words made their way out, and he found his voice abruptly cut off. "You-" he forced himself to continue, a wave of guilt washing over him as tears slowly filled up his eyes again, "Y-" the boy closed his mouth, clenching his teeth. Talking was of no use. </p><p>He glanced at Odoacer and at that moment, a quiet sob echoed troughout the large room. A second sob followed and then a third one until Romulus couldn't contain the tears in his eyes anymore. He let out a soft wail, the tears now falling freely to the floor as his sobs grew louder, echoing trough the room until the boy could feel himself chocking, unable to take in anymore of the thick air aroud him</p><p>Romulus felt more tears continuing  form in his eyes, rolling gently down his cheecks. He let out a violent sob at how much the tought of being here, with Rome in shambles and ruins, made him nauseous and afraid.</p><p>Suddenly,time seemed to pause as a cozy, warm feeling sprung in his chest as he thought of his father and all the things he'd give for him to come in and wrap him into a gentle embrace, holding the crying boy while rocking him back and forth, whispering comforting nonsense. </p><p>With a slow blink, he looked at Odoacer, who hadn't moved, standing there with his eyebrows furrowed. There was only one option left.<br/>
The boy let out a final sob, turning his head towards his mentor, who was standing in front of the crowd behind him. With a nod of his head, he signaled the older man to bring in the crown. </p><p>As the man slowly moved towards Odoacer,gripping Romulus' golden crown in his hands, Romulus felt his vision blur softly, and he closed his eyes tightly, letting the remaining tears roll down his cheeks. He wanted this to be over as soon as possible,no matter what happened next</p><p> And for a moment, The boy pretended that his father would be  coming to his rescue soon, taking him away to a nice, gentle place. For a moment, the boy pretended to hear his father's soothing voice again, calling out for him.</p><p>Raising his hands to wipe the tears on his wet  cheeks, he pretended this was been a nightmare from which he'd wake up in soon, pretended his father would be coming at his bedside to comfort him and hold him tightly. </p><p>He pretended his father wasn't laying limp in a fresh pool of his own blood, his head next to his feet. </p><p> </p>
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